Crock Pot Cookfest December Edition

Friday Heath and Peanut went shopping right after work. I picked up Pumpkin and Stooks and Felcia came over/home and I worked on the last section of drywall a bit. I cut out my outlet and switches and screwed it into place and then vacuumed up all the debris. Then Pumpkin and I took Stooks to Aldi for a quick trip through the isles. We got all our stuff then headed home. We got there just as Heath and Peanut were getting home and we quickly unloaded groceries then everyone went to Chelly’s for Mexican.

I know we were just there but we have some groupons to use up before the end of the year. We had a nice big meal and then got the kids in bed. We watched a little tv but the Mexican had us worn out so it was an early night.

Saturday morning I got up before the rest of the house and got busy prepping stuff for the bonfire.

There was wood to gather, shopping carts to move, tables, chairs and supplies to gather and some meat to prepare.

Actually first I made a batch of oatmeal, fiber one, chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.

Then I cut up a bunch of deer steak and got it marinading in beer, onion, curry and other spices.

Then I cut my chicken’s backbone out so it would lay nice and flat in the dutch oven.

Once it was flat I injected it with a mix of bourbon and BBQ sauce.

Everyone else got up and played for a bit.

Then Heath took the kids shopping and I ran some errands and went to lunch with my siblings. When I got home Tony and Felicia were ready to get started so we started building the fire and getting things even more ready while we waited for the reporter. Heath and the kids got home and ate leftovers for lunch.

Then the reporter showed up and we talked a bit and then got started. We were anxious to get the chicken cooking. Tony started the fire and Felicia cut onions and I laid a layer of bacon down in the pan and then the chicken and then more bacon. We were in a hurry and being filmed so we didn’t take any pictures until the chicken was cooking.

We also cut potatoes, sweet potatoes, kielbasa, and carrots and got them cooking with the deer steak for the curry stew. Also we unrolled a tube of cinnamon rolls and got mini ones cooking to eat while cooking. It was a little cool so we made hot coco and coffee.

The reporter hung out a bit then headed out and we continued to generate coals and cook and add veggies to the stew.

The cinnamon rolls were really good. Heath and Pumpkin got up from naps and Peanut practiced some baseball.

We had some chicken wings while waiting.

And our little crowd got bigger and bigger as more friends showed up.

We delayed doing anything exciting until 5:30 when the reporter came back then we got really busy really quick. We made rice, finished adding things and cooking the curry, got tables, plates and utensils ready, built a cobbler, tested the temp of the chicken and then shredded the meat.

But shortly later everything was ready and we dished up.

And sat down to eat.

The chicken stole the show. The shredded bbq meat made for awesome sandwiches

I think the curry being good surprised some people but the potatoes had cooked too long and become mushy and was super mild and I prefer a hot curry.

After we all had full bellies we hung out by the fire while the cobbler cooked. It had fresh apples mixed with cinnamon and honey and then a layer of caramel and then the cake crust on top. It was a big one and we waited by the fire trying to stay warm but not too warm.

When the cobbler was done we moved inside and served it with ice cream.

It was really good and one of my favorite cobblers. The reporter and neighbors had left but we still ate the whole thing.

After dessert the kids and some adults fell asleep

The rest of us cleaned up and then hung out by the fire until eventually everyone went to sleep.

Sunday we had more cleanup and shopping and leftovers and football and getting ready for the next 2 weekends of non stop Christmas celebrations.